Bullying and cyberbullying in Bolivian adolescents: Sexual orientation and impact on mental health

Bullying/cyberbullying has serious consequences for mental health. This study has three aims: (1) to identify the prevalence of victims and cybervictims, (2) to analyze differences based on sexual orientation, and (3) to compare the mental health of heterosexual and non-heterosexual adolescents who have been victims and cybervictims. The sample consists of 1,558 students from Cochabamba (Bolivia), aged 13 to 17 years. The results present: (1) victims: 68.3% (18.9% severe), the most prevalent behaviors suffered being verbal (55.1%) and physical (31.5%) aggressions; cybervictims: 59.1% (13.9% severe), and offensive-insulting messages, password theft, being the object of defamation-rumors, and receiving anonymous calls to create fear as the four most prevalent cyberbehaviors; (2) there was a higher percentage of non-heterosexual victims and cybervictims; and (3) non-heterosexual victims and cybervictims had greater total depression, social anxiety, greater diversity of psychopathological symptoms. Conclusions: The results suggest the need to use systematic detection-evaluation measures in educational centers, and implement anti-bullying/cyberbullying programs containing activities to promote tolerance towards sexual diversity.